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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Commander Brig. Gen. Mark R. Toy was promoted to the rank of major general by the USACE Commanding General and 54th Chief of Engineers Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite on July 11 in a ceremony held at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California. (Photo by Jacqueline Tate)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Commander Brig. Gen. Mark R. Toy was promoted to the rank of major general by the USACE Commanding General and 54th Chief of Engineers Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite on July 11 in a ceremony held at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California. (Photo by Jacqueline Tate)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Commander Brig. Gen. Mark R. Toy was promoted to the rank of major general by the USACE Commanding General and 54th Chief of Engineers Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite on July 11 in a ceremony held at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California. (Photo by Jacqueline Tate)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Commander Brig. Gen. Mark R. Toy was promoted to the rank of major general by the USACE Commanding General and 54th Chief of Engineers Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite on July 11 in a ceremony held at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California.

Toy’s wife and children joined Semonite with pinning the two-star rank onto his uniform in front of an audience of applauding family, friends, and colleagues.

“A promotion is not a prize, a promotion is different,” said Semonite. “A promotion means we recognize not so much the past performance, but the potential this leader has to continue to serve our country and to do things, not for fame or fortune, but to be able to do it because it's the right thing, and someone needs to step up and be able to take care of America. That's what Mark Toy does,” said Semonite.

“Thank you for your confidence in me to continue my service in our Army. It is an incredible honor to serve under your command during a pivotal time in our history, as we revolutionize the way USACE operates, and focus our efforts on delivering the program, all while taking care of people,” said Toy.

Toy, a native of Huntington Beach, California, took command of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division in Aug. 2016 after previously serving as the commander of the South Pacific Division in San Francisco, California.